Self-cleaning spray nozzle



March 13, 1962 K. B. DAFFORN ETAL 3,0255@@53 SELFCLEANING SPRAY NOZZLE Filed March 6, 1961 HUM. i ..A

p 3 Z m j k fiI ENTORS: 0% WWW ATTORNEYS.

flzhifiitlllli Patented Mar. l3, T962 3,025,005 SELF-CLEANING SPRAY NOZZLE Kenneth B. Dall'orn, Dover, and Kenneth C. Maholm, New Philadelphia, Ohio, assignors to Knapp-Monarch fompauy, St. Louis, Mo a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Bar. No. 93,738 Claims. (Cl. 2391l7) This invention relates to a self-cleaning spray nozzle and more particularly relates to a spray nozzle for steam irons and the like which may be readily cleansed of clogping ptrticles without requiring tools or disassembly of the spray nozzle.

The orifices of a spray nozzle of a steam iron are required to he very fine because the water spray must he a fine one to insure proper and desirable dampening of the articles being ironed. The fine orifices become easily clogged with particles that are water-borne or by the deposit of salts or other materials that are frequently found in tap water. The latter type of deposit is frequcntly noticed in shower heads which lime up" with repeated use. The orillccs in the spray mechanism of a steam iron are much finer and clog up much more rapidly.

I-leretoforc. the housewife has been required to use a fine wire to pass through the clogging orifices in order to keep her spray-type steam iron in operative condition. Such a wire is easily mislaid or lost, and if the orifices become frilly closed off, the housewife does not utilize her spray-type i on to its greatest potential and efficiency.

Thus, one object of this invention is to provide a spray nozzle that carries therewithin a needle for cleaning out the spray orifice that may become clogged, so that simple manipulation of the spray nozzle is all that is required to effect cleaning of the orifice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spraytypc steam iron with a sclf cleaning spray nozzle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfcleaning spray nozzle for use with a mechanical pumptypc spray for a steam iron.

And a further object of this invention is to provide a spray nozzle with telescoping parts and which nozzle contains therewithin a cleaning needle for cleaning the spray orifice, and providing for selective manual manipulution of a portion of the spray nozzle to efl'ect telescoping of portions thereof to effect cleaning of the spray orifice with the cleaning needle.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following de cription proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FlGURE l is a side elevation view with portions broken away of a steam iron provided with a mechanical pumptypc spray means and further provided with the self-cleaning spray nozzle of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged axial cross-section view through thespray nozzle portion of the mechanical pumptype spray means of the steam iron of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross'section view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section view taken on the line 4--4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a steam iron generally indicated at 10 having a handle 12. The iron 10 is of the type that is provided with a mechanical pump-type spray means.

Briefly, the mechanical pump-type spray means includes a hollow pump body, or cylinder, 14 having therewithin a piston from which extends a pistonrod, or stem, 16 that is normally biased to the upward position by a coil spring 18. The piston stem 16 is adapted to be actuated by an upright push rod 29 that extends upwardly through the handle and has operative association with a push button 22. The pump cylinder 14 is provided with a downwardly extending tubular intake 24 which extends into the water supply of'the steam iron. and water is pumped, by reciprocation of the piston on stem 16, from cylinder 14 through delivery tube 26 to a hollow spray nozzle connector cap 27 which scrcw-connects to the spray nozzle generally indicated at 28.

The spray nozzle 28 is carried in a bore 30 defined in the molded handle of the iron, and the spray nozzle 22% projects forwardly and downwardly so as to direct the spray therefrom forwardly of the toe of the iron.

Turning now to the details of the spray nozzle 28, as best seen in FIGURES 24, the nozzle 28 includes an elongated tubular body part 32 formed at its upstream end with a male threaded neck 34 that is adapted for screw connection to the cap 27. A scaling washer, or gasket, 36 is provided, abutting shoulder 38 defined on the body part 32, to provide for sealing between the nozzle 28 and the cap 27. The hollow body part 3.2 also defines thereon an annular flange 49 having an annular gasket 42 seated against the downstream side of flange 40. A portion of body 32. downstream of flange 40 is male threaded at 41. An annular cap member M is provided which is screwthreaded to threads it on body 32 and which provides a shoulder for clamping against gasket 42, to eficct a sealing between body part 32 and cap 44. An upstream flange 45a surrounds gasket 42 and flange 40 to confine gasket 42. The downstream end of cap 44 is provided with an inturned retaining flange 46. The cap 44 and body 32 cooperate to define a hollow body means.

The tubular body part 32 defines an upstream entry bore 48 through which flows the water being delivered from the pump cylinder 14. The interior of body 32 is shaped to define an enlarged hex bore 39 and a frustoconical valve seat 50 between bores 48 and 49, against which seat a ball valve 52 of Monel" is normally biased in sealing engagement. The downstream end of body 32 is provided with a further enlarged bore 54, and a shoulder 56 is provided at the upstream end of bore 54.

A plug, or shaft, 58 is positioned cencentrically in bore 49 with the walls of the plug spaced from the walls of the bore 49 to define an annular passageway thercbctween to accommodate flow of water thcrcthrough. The upstream end of plug 58 is flanged at 59 and the downstream end of plug 58 is recessed 212260 to receive therein an insert 62 which has a frusto-conical tip 63 and which carries an axially positioned cleaning needle 64 that projects downstream of plug 58. There is provided a sleeve 66 that is slidably and telescopically mounted on plug 58 and which is flanged at its downstream end at 68. The flange 68 is provided with a plurality of notches 69 which accommodate flow of water therethrough. The sleeve 66 slidably engages the flats of the hex bore 49 at all positions of sleeve 66, thereby maintaining sleeve 66 properly centered. The spaces between sleeve 66 and the corners of hex bore 49 provide flow passageways. The sleeve 66 being thus centered serves in turn to maintain plug 58 properly centered, and to center needle 64 relative to the spray orifice to be cleaned.

A first coil spring 70 is positioned concentrically around plug 58 and located between flange 59 and the upstream edge of sleeve 66, the spring 70 tending to normally bias the sleeve 66 and flange 59 away from each other. A second spring 72 is positoned concentrically around sleeve 66 and engages, at its downstream end, the shoulder 56, and at its upstream end engages the flange 68 to normally bias the flange 68 in a direction away from shoulder 56.

There is provided an annular spray nozzle sleeve, generally indicated at 74, having a pair of spaced peripheral flanges 76 and 78. The flange 76 is adapted to abut the inwardly extending flange 46 on cap 44 to limit movement of nozzle sleeve 74 in a downstream direction. Located in the peripheral recess between flanges 76 and 78 is an O-ring 80 which serves as a seal between sleeve '74 and cap 44, the O-ring providing for a rolling and sliding seal between itself and the adjacent parts, since it is contemplated that there will be relative axial movement between parts 74 and 44. The downstream end of sleeve 74 which projects outwardly of cap 44 constitutes a control portion of the spray nozzle that permits of manual manipulation to selectively effect cleaning of the nozzle as hereinafter described.

The rearward side of sleeve 74 is recessed and provides an annular shoulder 82 against which is positioned an annular sealing washer 84 and against which abuts a spray disc 86. The periphery of disc 86 closely fits the inner cylindrical periphery of the recess in sleeve 74 to align the disc 86. The spray disc 86, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, is provided with a central spray bore, or orifice, 88 which is in axial alignment with needle 64 and spaced therefrom. The orifice 88 communicates at its upstream end with a frusto-conical depression 90 that is complementary to the conical end 63 of insert 62. The depression 90 communicates with a plurality, namely four, tangentially disposed transverse fiow passageways 92.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device is apparent as follows. Under normal conditions the nozzle 28 is as seen in FIGURE 2 with springs 70 and 72 resiliently biasing the axially telescoping members 58 and 66 in extended condition and in opposite directions against ball 52 and spray disc 86 and so as to maintain the spray nozzle in its spraying position. When there is fluid pressure from the pumping cylinder 14, the fluid pressure, acting against ball 52 and against the normal resilient bias of spring 70, causes the ball 52 to move axially in body 32 away from closed valve position against valve seat 50 to an open valve position, and the flow of water then passes from passageway 48 through passageway 49, passageway 54, notches 69, into an annular chamber that communicates with transverse passageways 92 leading to the recess 90, and then through the spray orifice 88. The spring 72 normally biases the valve disc 86 into sealing engagement with gasket 814, and there will be no leakage through the spray nozz e 28.

In the event that there is a reduction in spray from nozzle 28, and if it is desired to clean out accumulations of debris or other deposits that may have developed in spray orifice 88, the operator engages the outwardly extending end of spray sleeve 74 and presses inwardly against the bias of spring 72, and this slidably moves the disc 86 axially from the spraying position to a nozzlecleaning position wherein cleaning needle 64 passes through orifice 88. When the cleaning needle 64 is forced through the orifice 38 it operates to clean out debris or accumulations therein, thereby efiecting selfcleaning of the nozzle.

The normal maximum spacing between the needle 64 and the orifice 88 is less than the amount that the sleeve 74 protrudes outwardly, or downstraem, of flange 46.

This provides that the control portion of sleeve 74 is of sufficient length to insure that full axial movement thereof in an upstream direction will cause needle 64 to project fully through orifice 88. The upstream end of body part 32 is adapted to be engaged by sleeve 74 to limit upstream movement of sleeve 74 so that needle 64 just protrudes through orifice 88 but will not engage the fingers of the person manipulating sleeve 74.

While there has been shown and described a particu lar embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in combination: elongated hollow body means; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzlecleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; valve means including a valve member movable axially in said body means between closed valve and open valve positions for controlling flow of liquid into said body means; an elongated stem member within said body means having one end engaging the valve member and the other end carrying an axially extending cleaning needle normally spaced from said central spray bore; an elongated sleeve slidably mounted on said stem and having one end engaging the spray nozzle means; and a spring biasing said stem and sleeve in opposite directions simultaneously against said valve member and said nozzle means.

2. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in com-- bination: elongated hollow body means; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzle-cleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; resilient means biasing the spray nozzle means toward its spraying position; an elongated needle holder movably positioned in said hollow body means, a cleaning needle mounted on one end of said needle holder and positioned in said hollow body means in axial alignment with said central spray bore and spaced therefrom when the nozzle means are in the spraying'position, said needle adapted to enter said spray bore to clean same when the nozzle means are moved into the nozzle-flushing position; a control portion of the spray nozzle means extending outwardly of said body means to permit of manual manipulation of the nozzle means against the bias of said resilient means to selectively move the nozzle means to the nozzle-cleaning position; and valve means including a valve member engaging the other end of said needle holder and movable axially in said body means between closed valve and open valve positions for controlling flow of liquid into said body means, and means including said needle holder normally biasing said valve member toward a closed valve position.

3. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in combination: elongated hollow body means; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzle-cleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; valve means including a valve member movable axially in said body means between closed valve and open valve positions for controlling flow of liquid into said body means; elongated axially-telescoping means separate from said nozzle means and positioned within said hollow body means and disposed to have one end thereof engage said spray nozzle means and the other end thereof engage said valve member; and resilient means cooperating with said telescoping means to normally extend said telescoping means to simultaneously resiliently bias the spray nozzle means to the spraying position and the valve member to the closed valve position.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the telescoping means includes an elongated stem member and a sleeve member slidably arranged on said stem member, and wherein the resilient means includes a first spring acting between the telescoped members and a second spring acting between one of the telescoped members and the body means.

5. A de\-ice as set forth in claim 3 wherein the telescoping means includes an elongated stem member and a sleeve member slidably arranged on said stem member, and one end of the stem member abutting the valve member and the other end of the stem member carrying a cleaning needle.

6. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the telescoping means are positioned axially of the hollow body spaced from the inner walls thereof to provide an annular tlow passageway therebetwecn; and the spray nozzle means including transverse tlow passageways communicating said annular llow passageway with the central spray bore.

7. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in combination: elongated hollow body means; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzle-cleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; valve means including a valve member movable axially in said body means be tween closed valve and open valve positions for controlling llow of liquid into said body means; elongated axiallytelescoping means separate from said nozzle means and positioned within said hollow body means and disposed to have one end thereof engage said spray nozzle means and the other end thereof engage said valve member; resilient means cooperating with said telescoping means to normally extend said telescoping means to simultaneously resiliently bias the spray nozzle means to the spraying position and the valve member to the closed valve position, a cleaning needle carried by said telescoping means and positioned in axial alignment with said central spray bore and spaced therefrom when the nozzle means are in the spraying position and adapted to enter said spray bore to clean same when the nozzle means are in the nozzle-cleaning position; and means for selectively moving the nozzle means into the nozzle-cleaning position.

8. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in combination: elongated hollow body means; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzle-cleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; valve means including a valve member movable axially in said body means between closed valve and open valve positions for controlling flow of liquid into said body means; an elongated stem member within said body means having one end engaging the valve member and the other end carrying an axially extending cleaning needle normally spaced from said central spray bore; an elongated sleeve slidably mounted on said stem and having one end engaging the spray nozzle means; a first spring biasing said stern and sleeve in opposite directions simultaneously against said valve member and nozzle means; and a second spring biasing said sleeve against said nozzle means.

9. A self-clcaning spray nozzle comprising. in combination: elongated hollow body me ns; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzle-cleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray l'i-ot'e; valve means including a valve member movable axially in said body means between closed valve and open valve positions for controlling flow of liquid into said body means; an elongated stcm member within said body means having one end engaging the valve member and the: other end carrying an axially extending cleaning needle normally spaced from said central spray bore; an elongated sleeve slidably mounted on said stem and having one end engaging the spray nozzle means; a first spring biasing said stem and sleeve in opposite directions simultaneously against said valve member and nozzle means; a second spring biasing said sleeve against said nozzle means; and a control portion of the spray nozzle means extending outwardly of said body means to permit-of manual manipulation of the nozzle means against the bias of said springs to so lectively move the nozzle means to the nozzle-cleaning position wherein said cleaning needle projects through said central spray bore.

10. A self-cleaning spray nozzle comprising, in combination: elongated hollow body means defining a hex bore therein; spray nozzle means slidably positioned in said hollow body means for movement axially of the body means between a spraying position and a nozzlecleaning position, said spray nozzle means having a central spray bore; resilient means biasing the spray nozzle means toward its spraying position; a cleaning needle positioned in said hollow body means in axial alignment with said central spray bore and spaced therefrom when the nozzle means are in the spraying position, said needle adapted to enter said spray bore to clean same when the nozzle means are in the nozzle-flushing position; and a control portion of the spray nozzle means extending outwardly of said body means to permit of manual manipulation of the nozzle means against the bias of said resilient means to selectively move the nozzle means to the nozzle-cleaning position, a cylindrical sleeve in said hex bore of the body means, thereby defining flow passageways therebetween, and a holder for the cleaning needle slidably mounted in said cylindrical sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 713,852 Chapin Nov. 18, 1902 924,866 Winfield et a1. June 15, 1909 935,124 Mnycrs Sept. 28, 1909 1,953,990 Roselund Apr. 10, 1934 2,092,519 McLean Sept. 7, 1937 2,118,451 Hansen May 24, 1933 2,717,178 Cornelius Sept. 6, 1955 

